In Wright’s 1864, directory under ‘inns pubs and beer retailers’ there is an American Divan listed at no. 43 (now 99) Granby Street.
This unusual name may mean coffee house or smoking room.
In November 1864, the American Divan and Bowling Saloon was put up for sale by auction. Included in the sale were an American bowling frame complete with equipment, floor, skylight, iron gas piping & burners, tables, chairs, lamps and brackets with signboards, around thirty eight gallons of stout, 18 galls of Dublin stout, 18 galls of Burton ale, Jersey cider, bottles of Moselle, red burgundy and cigars.
The following March, John Harry Bassenden was in the bankruptcy court as the previous proprietor of the American Divan & Bowing Saloon.
It seems the American Divan dream only lasted a few months.
Leicester Journal advert, 11 November 1864 – Surprisingly, the Loughborough Monitor continued advertising the premises open every month until January 1865. Bassenden possibly took out a year’s subscription.